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City of Santa Cruz Public Safety Update - March 26, 2013

Published On: Mar 25 2013 12:00:00 AM PDT

City of Santa Cruz Public Safety Update - March 26, 2013

Police Staffing

1. City Council to consider a hiring incentive for new police officers. Staff are currently developing options.2. City Council to consider increasing the number of community service officers and park rangers.3. Nine trainee police officer applicants currently in background process.4. Two lateral police officer applicants will soon be moving into the background process.Campsite Cleanups and Additional Sanitation Facilities1. Between Feb. 11th – Mar. 11th City staff and volunteers collected over 8 tons of refuse during campsites cleanup and illegal dumping pickup operations (included 35 mattresses).3. City Council approved additional $50,000 for March – June 2013 (remainder of fiscal year) to aid cleanup efforts. These resources are being deployed in more staff hours and cleanup material costs.4. City staff in development phase for a web app (potentially smartphone app) to improve reporting of illegal campsites, trash disposal, and needles.5. City staff evaluating adding a temporary bathroom near the Gateway Center area and the River Levee6. Cowell Beach Cave – the cave will be filled in the coming weeks (Coastal Commission staff approved)

Partnerships with Community Organizations for Cleanups

1. City staff partnering with Regional Transit Commission to improve cleanup coordination of their railway.2. Parks Department is assisting the Santa Cruz Land Trust for better maintenance of Antonelli’s Pond.3. City staff in regular communication with Clean Team and other community groups to create more efficient and safe cleanups.4. Measure E funds aiding Save Our Shores led cleanups of the Levee.Cooperation with Regional Partners to Address Public Safety Issues1. This is ongoing, including the County Gang Task Force and Drug Task Force operations.2. Sheriff’s Department provided incredible support to the City following the recent tragedy.3. Much of the work related to this area will be conducted with the help of the Citizen Task Force.

Citizen Task Force to Address Public Safety Issues

1. Public Safety Task Force will investigate underlying issues troubling our community, including drug abuse, drug related crime and provide independent recommendations to City Council within 6 months.2. Task Force application period open through Wed., March 27. The Mayor will pick a well-balanced Task Force and will submit those appointments to the City Council for approval. The Task Force will likely convene in April. Find the application at www.cityofsantacruz.com/safetytaskforce.

Needle Exchange Reforms

1. The County is revising the needle exchange program to be based and operated out of their public health facilities. This will have several significant benefits including (1) increasing the number of locations throughout the County where needle exchange can occur, thereby diffusing the impact on the City of Santa Cruz in general and any particular neighborhood specifically; (2) providing trained medical staff that would exchange the needles pursuant to established protocol; and (3) providing increased hours throughout the day, again to diffuse a concentrated impact on our neighborhoods.In addition, the County is exploring efforts to clean up unincorporated public spaces impacted by hazardous waste, similar to those undertaken by the City and will be working to increase the availability of education and training on needle exchange and related public health topics.2. County tightening oversight of the exchange program, instituting a 1 – 1 needle exchange, with few medical exceptions. County staff report that in recent weeks the needle exchange has received more needles than it has dispensed.3. Fewer needles reported found by City staff and volunteers along the Lower Levee, Depot Park and West Cliff Drive areas over the past few months. Potential causes may be the enhanced patrols of the Beach Area and shutting down of the needle exchange site near Ocean Street.4. County developing an advisory body, consisting of health officials and law enforcement representatives, to help oversee the exchange program implementation.5. County considering a pilot kiosk program for safe needle disposal at targeted locations in the County.6. Drafting ordinance changes to require local pharmacies that dispense needles to collect needles. The city will encourage countywide adoption of these changes.Miscellaneous Safety Efforts1. City in discussion with Coastal Commission to explore imposing curfew on Cowell Beach.2. Lighting improvements made in the Cowell Beach and Municipal Wharf areas.3. City staff (including police officers) met with the Homeless Services Center staff to discuss security improvements to their facilities.4. Neighborhood meetings are being scheduled to obtain feedback from the community regarding public safety. The first was held at Grant Street Park and a second is scheduled for March 27 at the Resource Center for Nonviolence on Ocean Street at 5:30 pm.5. The City is assigning full time security guards (10 hour shifts) to certain parks on a 30 day trail basis. A security guard has already been assigned to Grant Street Park. Beginning March 29 security guards will also be assigned to Laurel Park, Ocean View Park and San Lorenzo Park.

City and County Contact Information:

For Emergencies, any suspicious behavior, or found needle syringes PLEASE CALL 9-1-1It is appropriate to call 911 for calls which involve a crime, accident or incident requiring a uniformed police officer to respond. Please do not hesitate to call 911 for anything that requires a police response.

However, if you are experiencing a non-emergency situation and prefer to report a crime online, visit www.santacruzpolice.com, or call 831-471-1131 (only if the statements below are true):

• This is not an emergency• This incident occurred within the Santa Cruz City limits (visit www.cityofsantacruz.com/maps)• There are no known suspects• This did not occur on a state freeway• You have a valid email address to receive a copy of this report

Anonymous information can also be placed with the Police Department by calling 831-420-5995. You can leave a crime tip online at www.cityofsantacruz.com/crimetipIllegal campsite hotline – 831-420-5892Illegal dumping/garbage – 831-420-5548Graffiti – 831-420-5303Issues with Needle Exchange, contact the County Human Services Agency at 831-454-4000

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